U.S. patent number 4,556,275 [Application Number 06/523,202] was granted by the patent office on 1985-12-03 for electrical panelboard connector.
This patent grant is currently assigned to AMP Incorporated. Invention is credited to Wilbur A. Hamsher, Jr..
United States Patent |
4,556,275 |
Hamsher, Jr. |
December 3, 1985 |
Electrical panelboard connector
Abstract
An electrical connector comprises a dielectric housing member in
which signal and ground terminal members are secured with contact
sections of the terminal members in alignment with respective
openings at a front end of the housing member into which a pin
terminal and a ground rail of a panelboard extend for electrical
connection with the contact sections of the signal and ground
terminal members. Termination sections of the signal and ground
terminal members are terminated to the signal and ground conductors
of a cable. A securing section is part of the signal terminal
member or ground terminal member in which a section of the cable is
secured as a cable strain relief. A profiled dielectric cover
member encapsulates the termination sections terminated to the
signal and ground conductors and the securing section secured to
the cable section and a section of the cable as an added cable
strain relief thereby forming an electrical terminal assembly that
is latchably secured in the housing member.
Inventors: |
Hamsher, Jr.; Wilbur A. (New
Cumberland, PA) |
Assignee: |
AMP Incorporated (Harrisburg,
PA)
|
Family
ID: |
27055656 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/523,202 |
Filed: |
August 15, 1983 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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506964 |
Jun 23, 1983 |
4491381 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
439/736; 29/858;
439/266; 439/581; 439/94; 439/460 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
23/6873 (20130101); H01R 12/00 (20130101); H01R
4/02 (20130101); H01R 13/627 (20130101); H01R
13/506 (20130101); H01R 13/504 (20130101); H01R
13/58 (20130101); H01R 13/20 (20130101); Y10T
29/49176 (20150115); H01R 13/6593 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
12/00 (20060101); H01R 12/16 (20060101); H01R
13/20 (20060101); H01R 13/02 (20060101); H01R
13/504 (20060101); H01R 13/627 (20060101); H01R
13/506 (20060101); H01R 13/658 (20060101); H01R
4/02 (20060101); H01R 13/502 (20060101); H01R
13/58 (20060101); H01R 013/58 () |
Field of
Search: |
;339/14R,74R,75R,99R,13M,107,218N,218R,275R,276R ;29/858 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Desmond; Eugene F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: LaRue; Adrian J. Ness; Anton P.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
506,964 filed June 23, 1983, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,381.
Claims
I claim:
1. An electrical connector for terminating signal and ground
conductor means of a trilead cable means and electrically
connecting the signal and ground conductor means respectively to a
pin terminal and a ground rail of a panelboard, comprising:
dielectric housing means having parallel passageway means and
another passageway means extending therethrough, said parallel
passageway means communicating with said other passageway means and
respective opening means at a front end of said housing means into
which the pin terminal and ground rail extend;
signal terminal means disposed in one of said parallel passageway
means and including contact means and termination means, said
contact means being in alignment with one of said opening means for
electrical connection with the pin terminal, said termination means
extending along said other passageway means of said housing means
and being terminated to the signal conductor means;
ground terminal means disposed in the other of said parallel
passageway means and including contact member means and termination
member means, said contact member means being in alignment with the
other of said opening means for electrical connection with the
ground rail, said termination member means extending along said
other passageway means of said housing means insulated from said
signal terminal means and being terminated to the ground conductor
means;
one of said signal terminal means and said ground terminal means
having cable securing means engaging the cable means thereby
securing the cable means thereto and providing a cable strain
relief;
terminal securing means on said signal terminal means and said
ground terminal means and said housing means securing said terminal
means in said housing means;
latching means on said signal terminal means which latchably
engages the pin terminal when electrically connected therewith;
means in said passageway means containing said signal terminal
means engageable with said latching means when said housing means
is moved axially relative to said signal terminal means thereby
causing said latching means to be unlatched from the pin terminal
enabling the connector to be disconnected from the pin terminal and
the ground rail; and
profiled dielectric cover means extending along said other
passageway means of said housing means and encapsulating said
termination means and said termination member means and engaging a
section of the cable means secured in said cable securing means
thereby sealing said terminating means and said termination member
means and providing additional cable strain relief.
2. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
other passageway means has section means in alignment with
intermediate sections of said signal and ground terminal means so
that electrical contact members of an electrical probe means can
pass along the section means and make electrical connection with
the intermediate section.
3. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
cable securing means is part of said signal terminal means.
4. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
cable securing means is part of said ground terminal means.
5. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
cover means includes an insulating material molded onto the
termination means, the termination member means, the cable securing
means and a section of the cable means as a substantially rigid
member.
6. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
termination member means is located rearwardly from said
termination means of said signal terminal means.
7. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
connector has a low profile and is relatively planar with both
signal and ground terminal means located in said plane, whereby a
plurality of said connectors may be closely spaced.
8. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
termination means of said signal and ground terminal means comprise
slotted terminating members axially normal to said signal and
ground conductors whereby said conductors are disposed in said
slotted terminating members.
9. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
termination means of said signal and ground terminal means comprise
crimping ferrules crimpable around said signal and ground
conductors respectively.
10. A method of assembling an electrical connector for terminating
signal and ground conductor means of a trilead cable means and
electrically connecting same to a pin terminal and a ground rail of
a panelboard comprising the steps of:
terminating a termination means of a signal terminal means to said
signal conductor means of said cable means and terminating a
termination member means of a ground terminal means to said ground
conductor means;
securing a section of said cable means with a cable securing means
on one of said signal terminal means or said ground terminal
means;
inserting said signal terminal means and said ground terminal means
inside a mold means;
molding dielectric cover material around said signal and ground
terminal means rearward of intermediate sections thereof and around
said secured section of said cable means and said termination means
and said termination member means forming a sealed terminal
assembly;
inserting said sealed terminal assembly into a rearward passageway
of a dielectric housing member; and
securing said assembly in said housing member such that
intermediate and contact sections of said terminal means extend
along parallel passageways of said housing member, said parallel
passageways having openings such that said signal terminal means is
electrically engageable with a said pin terminal of said
panelboard, said ground terminal means is electrically engageable
with a said ground rail of said panelboard, and said dielectric
housing member is axially movable relative to said sealed terminal
assembly to unlatch said signal terminal means from electrical
engagement with a said pin terminal.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more
particularly to electrical connectors for connecting electrical
cables to electrical terminals of a panelboard, circuit board or
the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Several types of electrical cables are used in electrical
connectors for connecting the cables to electrical terminals of a
panelboard, circuit board or the like. One type is a trilead cable
of generally rectangular configuration in cross-section and having
a signal conductor with ground conductors along opposite sides
encased in an insulating jacket. Another type is a circular
shielded trilead cable which includes an outer conductor
electrically encircling the ground conductors between the insulated
signal conductor and the insulating jacket. A further type is a
shielded trilead triaxial cable which has a ground wire and braided
conductor extending along the insulating jacket and surrounded by
an outer insulating jacket.
An electrical connector disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 506,964 filed June 23, 1983 terminates each of these cables,
but the housing member has cover members latchably secured together
and movably mounted thereto to cover the terminations of the cable
conductors to the electrical terminals latchably mounted in the
housing member; the cover members also enhance the strain relief to
the terminations and the cable. The housing member and cover
members result in a more complex and expensive structure because
three molds are required to make them, the latching arrangement
between the cover members can be damaged which will not provide an
effective cover over the electrical terminations, and the
terminations are not sealed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, an electrical connector
comprises signal and ground terminal members having termination
sections for terminating signal and ground conductors of a cable
thereto. A securing section is part of the signal terminal member
or ground terminal member for securing a section of the cable
therein as a cable strain relief. The termination sections to which
the signal and ground conductors are terminated and the securing
section are encapsulated in a profiled cover of dielectric material
to protect the terminations, maintain the terminal members in
spaced and isolated relationship as an electrical terminal
assembly, and provide additional cable strain relief, the
electrical terminal assembly being positioned in a passageway of a
dielectric housing member with contact sections of the terminal
members in alignment with respective openings at a front end of the
housing member into which a pin terminal and a ground rail of a
panelboard extend for electrical connection with the contact
sections of the signal and ground terminal members. Securing
members on the terminal members in association with securing
sections of the housing member secure the electrical terminal
assembly in the housing member with the profiled dielectric
material being disposed within the passageway.
According to another feature of the present invention, the housing
member passageway includes a section enabling electrical contacts
of a probe to extend along the profiled dielectric cover material
and electrically engage the signal and ground terminal members to
determine the integrity of the electrical terminations and the
electrical connections.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the
contact section of the signal terminal member is latchably
connected onto the pin terminal and can be disconnected therefrom
by movement of the housing member away from the pin terminal which
releases the signal terminal member therefrom.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a portion of a
panelboard having terminal pins and ground rails mounted thereon
and with electrical connectors making electrical interconnection
therewith, and an electrical probe exploded therefrom.
FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the parts of the
electrical connector and a stripped end of a cable.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the signal and ground
conductors of the cable terminated to the signal and ground
terminal members and the terminal members encapsulated in a
profiled cover of dielectric material as an electrical terminal
assembly ready for insertion in a dielectric housing member.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the connecter in an assembled
condition.
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section view taken along line 5--5 of FIG.
1.
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section view taken along line 6--6 of FIG.
5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Electrical panelboard connectors 10 are shown in use in FIG. 1
whereby they terminate the signal and ground conductors of
electrical cables 12 and electrically connect them to respective
pin terminals 14 arranged in rows in panelboard 16 on opposite
sides of elongated channel-shaped ground rails 18.
Each of electrical panelboard connectors 10 includes a dielectric
housing member 20, a signal terminal member 22 and a ground
terminal member 24. Dielectric housing member 20 is molded from a
suitable plastic material and signal terminal and ground terminal
members 22 and 24 are stamped and formed from a suitable metal
having the desired spring characteristics.
Cable 12 is a circular shielded trilead triaxial cable which
includes an outer conductor 30 electrically encircling the ground
conductors 32 between signal conductor 34 and insulating jacket 36,
an insulation sheath 35 covers signal conductor 34. A ground
conductor 38 and braid 40 extend along insulating jacket 36 and are
covered by outer insulating jacket 42. Cable 12 is stripped as
shown in FIG. 2 with one of ground conductors 32 being cut off at
the end of outer conductor 30 and insulating jacket 36 prior to the
stripped end of cable 12 being terminated in signal and ground
terminal members 22 and 24.
Housing member 20 includes parallel passageways 44 and 46 in which
signal terminal member 22 and ground terminal member 24 are
respectively disposed. Passageway 44 is in communication with an
opening 48 at the front end of housing member 20. A camming surface
50 is located at the front end of passageway 44. Housing member 20
includes a stepped section 52 spaced from the front surface which
has a slot 54 therein that is in communication with passageway 46.
Latching apertures 56 and 58 are located in housing member 20 in
communication with passageways 44 and 46. A T-shaped member 60 is
located on housing member 20 which is to be engaged by a tool (not
shown) to facilitate the mounting on and removal from the pin
terminals and ground rails of panelboard 16.
Signal terminal member 22 is of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 3,705,376 and 3,796,987 and has a box-shaped section 62 from
which extends a lance 64 that is disposed within latching aperture
56 when terminal member 22 is disposed in passageway 44 of housing
member 20 latching terminal member 22 in position therein as shown
in FIGS. 4 and 6. Side members 66 extend outwardly from the sides
of section 62 in a forward direction therefrom in parallel
relationship to one another and they are connected at their front
ends by a bridging member 68 which has a radiused section 70 struck
inwardly therefrom. Lugs 72 extend outwardly from the top surfaces
of side members 66 opposite one another and they are bent into
engagement with a flat section 74 of spring member 76 which engages
the top surfaces of side members 66 and is maintained in engagement
therewith. Recesses 78 are located in flat section 74 in which lugs
72 are disposed to prevent spring member 76 from moving back and
forth along side members 66. A profiled spring section 80 is
located at the front end of spring member 76 and extends across the
front end of terminal member 22. An elongated aperture 82 is
located in spring section 80 in alignment with opening 48 to permit
pin terminal 14 to have access to the receptacle section of
terminal member 22 through aperture 82 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
Leaf spring contact member 84 is cantilevered outwardly from the
bottom of box-shaped section 62 in a direction toward bridging
member 68 and terminates with a radiused front end 86 spaced
forwardly from radiused section 70. Thus, when pin terminal 14 is
inserted into the receptacle section of terminal member 22 through
elongated aperture 82 of spring section 80, radiused section 70 and
radiused front end 86 electrically and wipingly engage pin terminal
14 at axiallly-spaced locations and spring section 80 engages pin
terminal 14 thereby locking it in position therein. Movement of
housing member 20 away from panelboard 16 causes spring section 80
to engage camming surface 50 which moves spring section 80 free of
pin terminal 14 enabling connector 10 to be removed from panelboard
16. An L-shaped terminating section 88 extends rearwardly from
box-shaped section 62 and it has a projection 90 which includes a
slotted terminating member 92.
Ground terminal member 24 has a box-shaped section 96 from which is
struck a lance 98 for disposition in latching aperture 58 to
latchably secure terminal member 24 in passageway 46 of housing
member 20 as shown in FIG. 4. Leaf spring contact members 100 are
cantilevered respectively from the sides of section 96 in a
direction toward each other and they have radiused front ends 102
disposed within slot 54 as shown in FIG. 5, with radiused front
ends 102 electrically engaging a leg of ground rail 18 through slot
54. L-shaped terminating section 104 extends rearwardly from
box-shaped section 96 and has a projection 106 which includes
slotted terminating members 108 and 110. A strain relief section
114 extends outwardly from projection 106 and it includes C-shaped
sidewalls 116 and a forwardly-directed projection 118 struck from
the web connecting sidewalls 116 of strain relief section 114 as
shown in FIG. 6.
With terminals 22 and 24 held in a spaced relationship as they will
be when they are latchably mounted in housing member 20 within a
holding member (not shown), a stripped end of cable 12 is
terminated to terminal members 22 and 24. With ground conductor 38
disposed under insulating jacket 36, insulating jacket 36 is forced
between C-shaped sidewalls 116 and into engagement with
forwardly-directed projection 118 thereby providing a strain relief
for cable 12 in strain relief section 114. Ground conductors 32 and
38 are positioned in terminating members 110 and 108 while signal
conductor 34 is positioned in terminating member 92 and these
conductors are preferably welded or soldered in position therein
though the terminating members will effectively terminate the
conductors. Terminating members 92, 108 and 110 can be in the form
of crimping ferrules crimped onto conductors 32, 34 and 38. As can
be discerned from FIGS. 5 and 6, C-shaped sidewalls 116 and
forwardly-directed projection 118 bite into insulating jacket 36
thereby forming a strain relief for cable 12.
The terminated terminals 22 and 24 are now positioned in a mold
(not shown) and injectable insulating material in a hot flowable
condition is injected into the mold forming a profiled dielectric
cover 120, as shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, which entirely
encapsulates the terminations of conductors 34, 32 and 38 in
terminating members 92, 110 and 108 and the section of cable 12 in
strain relief section 116 including a section of cable 12 as shown
in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6. The cover 120 is formed into a substantially
rigid condition after cooling thereby forming an electrical
terminal assembly that is insertable along and disposed in
passageway 122 of housing member 20 with the uncovered sections of
terminals 22 and 24 being disposed in passageways 44 and 46 and
latched therein via lances 64 and 98 disposed in latching apertures
56 and 58. The electrical terminal assembly is entirely disposed
within the passageways 44, 46 and 122 which are in
communication.
The profiled dielectric cover 120 maintains the terminals 22 and 24
in proper spaced relationship, seals the terminations and adds
additional strain relief to strain relief section 116. A one-piece
housing member 20 is used to completely cover the electrical
terminal assembly when latchably secured therein. Housing member 20
is movable relative to the electrical terminal assembly to move
camming surface 50 in engagement with spring section 80 to remove
connector 10 from pin terminal 14 and ground rail 18.
Passageway 122 of housing member 20 includes a section 124 as shown
in FIGS. 1 and 6 which forms passageway 122 into a T-shape
configuration. Contact members 126 of electrical probe 128 extend
along section 124 and cover 120 and make electrical contact with
terminals 22 and 24 between cover member 20 and projections 130 and
132 on sections 62 and 96 of terminals 22 and 24. Probe 128 checks
the terminations and connections of terminals 22 and 24 while
connectors 10 are in position on panelboard 16 as shown in FIG.
1.
From the foregoing, an electrical panelboard connector of
simplified construction has been disclosed for terminating
electrical conductors of a multiconductor cable to terminating
sections of signal and ground electrical terminals which are formed
into an electrical terminal assembly by a molded dielectric cover
that covers and seals the terminating sections and strain relief
section of the terminals, provides additional strain relief, and
maintains the terminals in spaced and isolated relationship so that
the electrical terminal assembly is secured in a passageway of a
dielectric housing member with contact sections of the terminals
being electrically connectable to a pin terminal and ground rail of
a panelboard through openings in the front end of the housing
member in alignment with the contact sections of the terminals.
* * * * *